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Catering, Vending and Cooking For The Masses.this forum is OnTopic. A resource to help with catering, vending and just cooking for large parties. Topics to include Getting Started, Ethics, Marketing, Catering resources, Formulas and recipes for cooking for large groups.

Well our first week vending went very well. We did two days last week and three this week and already ticked off two restaurant owners and a roach coach operator. Our lunch menu is pulled pork,pulled beef,pulled chicken,man beans, pulled pork nachos ,salads,smoked chicken salad wraps and fresh smoked german sausage along with chips and varios drinks. Dinners are half chicken, Spare ribs,Brisket,smoked stuffed meatloaf, and more to come. Doing good Q 4 to 5 days in a row is alot of work but very rewarding when the compliments and repeat customers keep rolling in.The phone orders and deliveries have already started also. There is also an old walkin cooler on site I will be aload to fix and use which will greatly easy my storage problems. This thing is getting going allitle faster than I expected.

Congratulations! Sounds like you are already popular with those who know good food. It can only get better

When you post pics, maybe you could share with us what was involved in getting ready to vend.

Licenses, permits, inspections, etc.

I know its different everywhere but would like to heat about your situation!

Pics will be a few days I think the camera grapped out on me will have to take some more this week. In NY you need a mobile vending permit which is $30 dollars and since I have a truck built to their specs a preinspection was not needed. I had to get wriiten permission from the land owner were I am vending at and a town permit from the clerks office for $75.00 for the the first month and then half of that each month after that. I was inspected already and will be once a month and once you know what they are looking for it's qiute easy to comply.It was quite easy if you have the write equipment and a good spot. Hope this helps.

We do some halves, and some quarters. $4 a quarter, $6 a half. Add $3 to add 2 sides and make it a meal. Typical profit margin is 100%. The rest of our pricing as follows, with the $3 more for a meal carried throughout.

We do some halves, and some quarters. $4 a quarter, $6 a half. Add $3 to add 2 sides and make it a meal. Typical profit margin is 100%. The rest of our pricing as follows, with the $3 more for a meal carried throughout.

Thats close to what I am at Ribs $6 1/4 rack $12 half $23 full regular pulled pork sammie $5 large $7 Smoked german sausage $6 half chicken dinner $12 Rib dinner $15 chicken and rib $17 brisket $16 comes with choice of two sides and drink.Sides are $1.50 for the salads and $2.00 for the man beans. Going to do some specials thursday and friday nights like stuffed meat loaf,ham, or turkey as the holidays approach. Figuring out amounts to minize waste is the hardest thing now but I guess that will come as I build regular customers over time

I started small, and always try to run out. I don't have a closing time. When I'm out I leave. 2 reasons, the rush starts early and I run out faster, so I can leave earlier, and, it leaves 'em wanting more!

Right now I am at by fec 500 capacity. Saturday morning I pulled in at 6:30am and had a guy waiting for brisket!! We were out of food by 1:00pm.

I'm excited to see others making money off roadside. Bigmista and I are planning to do markets to start and then grow from their. I'm sure he will be just as happy as you all are to be out of an office.

Can either of you tell me how you come up with your pricing? I get on Bigmista because I say he pulls numbers out of his a$$.